What foods should be eaten when suffering from stomach flu?

Question

Hello doctor,

What are some foods or liquids that you can eat when you have or are recovering from the stomach flu? Kindly tell the foods that are easy to digest and give a nice boost of energy or nutrients.

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

Whenever one suffers from gastroenteritis or stomach flu, there is fluid and electrolyte deficit because of frequent loose motions and vomitings. So main aim of treatment is to restore the lost fluid and electrolyte plus to treat the infecting germs causing the disease. So, the stool should be sent for routine, culture and hanging drop preparations, urine for ketone bodies to assess dehydration. Serum electrolytes and monitor of urine output.

Now coming to diet, a soft diet like rice and pulse combination, porridge, with curd, fat-free yogurt, rice water, lemon drink, coconut water, oral rehydrating solutions as recommended by W.H.O. Banana should be given as it is a binding agent. Puffed rice mixed wid curd can be given. After every vomiting and lose morions, ORS should be given. Avoid juices and artificial sweeteners, fruits, raw vegetables because the lining of the intestine villi is damaged during stomach infection, so these things are not absorbed but instead increase frequent passage of stool. Fatty foods should be avoided, if the infection is diagnosed then antibiotic along with probiotics should be given for three days.